OI’m going to spend half a page laying out my initial impressions—though, honestly, a few weeks ago I accidentally deleted this (again). It’s sitting somewhere in my trash folder, but until I track it down, the day feels far too sluggish and frustrating for a first impression attempt, especially since most of you have probably already picked this thread apart anyway.
Think about how the Saab serves as a symbol of Scandinavia—which, in the global psyche, always felt like a class above Volvo. Even the way they treated their workers was viewed by foreign competitors as something out of a fairy tale, or perhaps just detached from reality entirely. They offered every conceivable benefit, even including reproductive breaks for employees focusing on starting families, or simply... well, let's call them intimacy breaks. It wasn't a joke.
I had the chance to visit Trollhattan back during the era of the Scania acquisition and the whole GM umbrella period, so I remember its unique character vividly; besides, its bodywork remains one of my absolute favorites in the entire automotive industry. The 900 features a specific catalog red color (
Talladega), and the car looks impeccably clean in every single frame. Whether it's driving through rain or snow, it looks like it’s been professionally retouched for a promotional shoot before every shot. How could you possibly not start with the Saab when it’s essentially the star of the film—the unsung hero of the whole production?
You can't help but mention it when the vehicle isn't just a prop, but a central character, handled by someone with the meticulousness of a high-end collector, highlighting those tiny details that make it special. You can judge a person by how they treat their car, and here, every turning point in the narrative unfolds through the act of driving. I haven't really kept up with the Oscar ceremonies for quite a while now, but I heard that Hamaguchi might have even mentioned it in his speech? Because for Saab enthusiasts, this is the Saab film of the decade.
Is the mourning, the human connections, and—most importantly—the relationship with pain, enough of an artistic hook to prevent someone from feeling the runtime is too long? I don't know. For me, there is no such thing as a movie that is too long, provided I accept the premise for whatever reason, even if it's just superficial observation.
The scene that stayed with me most was the sight of smoking a cigarette through the open sunroof of the Saab, framed against a backdrop of deep bokeh.
I enjoyed the acting; I appreciated the moments of almost overly disciplined, controlled neatness in the staging—take, for instance, the conversation between Kafuku and Takatsuki inside the Saab, while he's still being eaten alive by the suspicion of whether he was merely the ex-wife's lover, and the palpable distance he maintains.
I also liked the intentional "ordinariness" of the driver, whose storytelling helps complete the journey toward the end.
What struck me most was the dinner where the hosts invite Kafuku, and he discovers his wife is a deaf-mute actress; I absorbed that scene and the dialogue with pure relish, replaying it in my mind several times. It was fascinating to see how the "driver's" simplicity evolves into a genuine interest in the hosts, transcending her own reserved nature. A deaf-mute actress is such a compelling concept to me.
The passing of the wife leaves behind more secrets than answers. The ending feels perhaps a bit too clever for the path it took; maybe adding another hour would have pushed a stronger desire for some kind of karmic cleansing.
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